Removable clean-out closure



May 4, 1948. w. ATTSCHULER REMOVABLE CLEANOUT CLOSURE Filed Aug.. 1e, 1944 I TTOR/VEY Patented May 4, i948 E OYA l Eb NiiUipififi tli I l William H;Attschuler,flhicagmlll assign onto.

@ v The Superheater Company, New York, N. ;Y application au ust 16, 1944', sear-N; slerz'ze 4 cla s.

The present invention relates to an improved cleanout closure for tubularfluid circulating conduits or the like. if

Where heat transfer 'tubes 'arepositioned in parallel relation andinterconnected fcir"s"eries fluid flow by bends; as in econbmizerslfit isi desirable that access may be hadto theirite'rior of the tubes for cleaning them. Various types of removable closures have been providedfor this purpose; the present invention relates to a cleanout closure in which theclosure elementand the parts that maintain it in place within the tubing are removable as a unitso. that they may be kept together to avoid loss and assure ready replacement. In theaccompanying drawingsi it Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through parts of a pair of fluid circulating tubes interconnected by an integral breeches piece closed at its outer end by a cleanout plug embodying the present invention; v

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the end of the breeches piece with the cleanout plug separated therefrom; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the clo- S111: during application to the breeches piece; an

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a modified form of cleanout closure.

In Figure l tubes In and II may be considered to represent two parallel pipes or an economizer or the like that are serially interconnected at one end by breeches piece |'2. The annular body portion M at the end of the breeches piece has a bore extending to its outer end in which the cleanout plug or closure I6 is located. The closure member l6 comprises pressure deformable sealing means mounted on the steam 2| of a carrier 22 between the head 23 of the latter and a plug member '24 through which the stem 2| extends. The plug member 24 is held against withdrawal from the bore I5 of the annular body member 14 by a bayonet type lock comprising diametrically spaced lugs 25 engageable behind circumferentially spaced flanges 26 formed on the wall of bore l5 and separated by the recesses 21 through which the lugs 25 may pass in applying or withdrawing the plug member. A shoulder '28 engageable by the lugs 25 limits inward movement of the closure.

To prevent rotation of the plug member I6 it is provided with a stud 30 projecting therefrom into a notch 3| formed at the outer end of the body portion 14. The stud 30 is adapted to engage the end wall 33 of the notch and be held 01. res-);.

thereagainstbyan ear-like lug34 extending from a washer=like retainer 35 mounted on-the stem 2|"bet'wen thefplugu and a s rin w The; outer end'or the stem 2| f is threaded to receive j a nut 31" which not only [serves to; hold the retainer 35 andsp'ring washer' 35 in place but also acts to drawfthe: head 23' towards the plug l6 was to deform the sealingmeans 2llinto sealingco'ntact with thewall or the bore r5 n1 'applyingcleanout closure 'I B'to the annular body' portion M of economizer tubing all the parts a: the clo'sure are assembldbnl ster'rr 2| as shape 1 atthejri'ghtlrar'id part or Fig. 2, the lug -34 that projects from theretatner 35 being' located 'at therig'ht hand'sidebf th e s'tiidf3fl In introdueing the closure member l6 into the "annular body portion M the retainer lug 34 is retracted and the closure member H5 is held so that the stud 30 is disposed to slide along the end wall 32 of.

notch 3| in which position the bayonet lugs 25 on the plug member 24 are properly disposed to pass through the recesses 21 between the locking flanges '26 forming the complementary parts of the bayonet lock on the body member l4. The retainer lug 34 being in retracted position. the closure member is rotated to bring the stud 30 into contact with the right hand wall 33 of the notch 3|. The lug 34 on the retainer member 35 is then fitted into the notch 3| and disposed between the stud 30 and the left hand wall 32 of the slot thereby preventing rotation of the closure member. This rotary movement of the closure member also engages the lugs 25 behind the flanges 26 and prevents the plug being withdrawn axially so that when the nut 31 is tightened up traction may be exerted on the stem 2| in an axially outward direction for deforming the sealing means 20.

In the form shown in Fig. 4 the construction is the same as described above except that the lug 34: of the retainer member 35 is formed with a slot 4| to embrace the stud 30 projecting from the plug member 24 and thereby prevent rotation thereof.

The stud 30 extends into a short longitudinal keyway 38 in the stem 2| and prevents rotation thereof to insure axial movement of its head 23 for compressing the sealing means 20. Alternatively the end of stem 2| may be formed with a slot 40 for receiving a tool to prevent rotation of stem 2| as thenut 31 is turned.

What I claim is:

1. A removable cleanout closure for a fluid circulating element provided with an annular body portion havingits wall cut away at its outer end to form a circumferentiallyextending notch communicating with the bore of said body; pressure deformable sealing means supported within the bore of said body; a plug member mounted in said bore outwardly of said sealing means;

bayonet-type locking means on said body and plug for holding said plug against axial movement in said body; a stud projecting from said plug to oeeupyim "of said body note hand engag wardly (of said plug; a lug on saidr'etainer fitting in the riotch intermediate said stud-and the'other end win of said notch in with she latter to prevent rotation of said-plug; andineafis for holding said retainer in its position .i

on said stem.

2. A removable closure for a fluid element provided with an annular body portion having its wall cut away at its outer iendl toiorm a circumferentially extending notch; pressure deformable sealing means within 'the bore of; said-body; aplug member mounted in said bore outwardly of said-sealing means; bayonet-t p locking means on said body and plug for holding saidgpiiig' flnst-axialgmovement in said: body; a stud proiecting irmn sa d plu to occupy part of said body a stem pro jecting from sa'ld plug to, a position beyond the outer errdofi-said body; a retainer on 'said stein outwardly inf-said plus having ,8 lug extending; into; said; note}; to cooperate with said and-a wallet said tor preventing rotation 01 saiapiu fm rm holding so Number said retainer in; its iockingposition on said stem-i 3. A removable closure ed with an annular body portion, said closure having a carrier including a head disposed within the bore of said body and a stem projecting axially beyond the outer end of said body,deformable sealing means mounted on the stem of said carrier adjacent its head, a plug member cooperating with the head of said carrier to deform saidlsealing means into pressure-tight relationship with the bore wall of said body, said body being formed to provide circumferentially spaced locking flanges in said bore separated by intervening recesses, and lugs on said plug member engageable with said flanges to hold said plug 'aigai'nst' 'axialmovenrent; said body being also a Circumferential notch at its outer end; astud extending radially from said plug; a retainer mounted on said stem outwardly of said plug and having a lug extending into said notch and cooperating with said stud andan end wall-oi said notehto prevent rotationof said plug;-;-and'means .ior holding said retainer its locking position onsaid-stem. j i

Acleanoutplug as recitedin claim zywherein: the lug on ;said retainer is iormedjto embrace the student-said plug and engages opposite-end walls j: I j J' v 7 WILLIA n rTscHU ER.

mama-teas bizrnn The renewing references are or record in the file of this patent- 5x v a PATENTS I Name Date 2,342,140 Hamilton Feb. 22, 19%

for an element provid- 

